"I'm hoping to give small businesses a chance for growth. If they looked at these wages, how can you expect someone to pay $34 an hour in wages in a take-away shop, food, retail, yet McDonald's are paying $26.

"Those employers, I know myself, if you can cut back a little bit there, give them a helping hand, more likely these small businesses will open on a weekend, possibly give more hours and employ more people."

Under the proposed changes Sunday pay rates for full-time and part-time hospitality staff will fall from 175 percent of their standard wage to 150 percent.

For retail workers Sunday wages will be cut from 200 percent of the standard rate to 150 percent for full-time and part-time employees.